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Get your daily dose of science stories and announcements — for free! Norton Scientific Journal has everything covered in the field of science.
Norton Scientific Journal is organized specifically to help you find what you want. Fast. So browse in our numerous topic sections where you're surely find what you need.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Eighteen Victims of Cyber-crime Every Second – report
http://nortonscientificjournal.com/research/2012/09/14/eighteen-victims-of-cyber-crime-every-second-report/
Every minute another person in New Zealand becomes a victim of cybercrime according to a new report which claims there are 556 million victims worldwide every year after the two NRI jailed for a major cyber fraud case revealed in this news blog.
The report released by anti-virus company Norton researched 24 countries, including New Zealand, to find out how many people fell victim to crime on the internet as well as the price tag of consumer cybercrime for each country.
On a global scale there were 1.5 million victims of consumer cybercrime every day – or 18 victims per second. And putting paid to the stereotype that men are more technology savvy, the report says they are more likely to become victims of cybercrime with 71% falling prey compared to 63% of women. The report put the world-wide price of consumer cybercrime at $US110 billion ($135.2 billion) annually, or $US197 ($242) per person. In New Zealand the price tag of online crime topped $462.9 million ($569 million). It said the face of cybercrime is changing, with more and more people becoming victims through social media and mobile phones. Half of all New Zealand adults now use a mobile device to access the internet, with 19% of those having received a text message from someone they didn’t know requesting they click on an embedded link or dial an unknown number to retrieve a ‘voicemail’ message.
Around 39% of New Zealand’s social network users have fallen victim to cybercrime scam on social network platforms, while 13% reported that someone had hacked into their profile and pretended to be them. And while many consumers have become aware of the traditional threats associated with online shopping, it said many are still unaware of how cybercrime is rapidly changing. It found 85% of New Zealand adults do not use a security solution for their mobile device, and 63% were not aware that security options for their mobile even existed.
The report found that two out of three adults had been the victims of cybercrime in their lifetime, with close to half of online adults having fallen victims to attacks such as malware, viruses, hacking, scams, fraud and theft in the past year alone. But the report’s authors did praise Kiwis for their “security IQ”, saying New Zealanders got “high marks” in this area, with 91% of people deleting suspicious emails from people they don’t know, 77% do not open attachments or links in unsolicited emails or texts, while 82% of people have a basic anti-virus package. However, the report warned that many people in New Zealand (44%) are still too laid back about using complex passwords and not changing them regularly. The highest number of internet crime victims was found in Russia (92%), China (84%), and South Africa (80%).
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Don't Inhale: Researchers Warn Second-Hand Smoke Can Damage Memory
http://www.dailytech.com/Dont+Inhale+Researchers+Warn+SecondHand+Smoke+Can+Damage+Memory/article27664.htm
Those exposed forget 1 out of every 5 things their unexposed peers would recall
Northumbria University, located near Newcastle in the Northeastern coast of England, has produced a cautionary study warning that second-hand smoke may lead to memory loss.
Published [abstract] in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction, the work by Psychologists Drs. Tom Heffernan and Terence O'Neil compared 27 second-hand smokers (SHS), 27 current-smokers (CS), and 29 non-second-hand smokers (non-SHS). Participants were subjected to the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT), a common memory test. The researchers took into consideration age, other drug use, mood, and IQ, in an effort to narrow the correlation down to smoke inhalation or lack thereof.
Current smokers fared the worst on the test, recalling approximately 25-30 percent less than their non-exposed peers in time- and event-based tasks. But somewhat more surprising, the researchers also observed a time-based memory gap in those exposed to second-hand smoke. They recalled over 15 percent less than their non-exposed peers. Interestingly, memory was not affected in event-based tasks.
The authors conclude:
The second-hand smokers in the study were exposed to, on average, 25 hours a week (3.6 hr. per day) for 4 and 1/2 years.
As with other studies on drug abuse, it's important to note that the observed phenomena was merely a correlation -- how exactly smoke affects the brain is very poorly understood, beyond basic reward circuitry.
There are many compelling questions raised by the study. The biggest is how exactly the memory impairment works on a neurological level. Another major question is whether so-called "third-hand" smoke -- smoke absorbed by a building occupied by a heavy smoker -- could have a similar, but smaller affect. Some studies have suggested that this may be the case with other smoking-related health issues.
Alcohol has been linked to similar memory impairment (though recent studies rebuke the hypothesis of brain cell death). However, there is no second-hand analogy with alcohol. On the other hand marijuana has been linked to short-term memory loss. Given the poor understanding of second-hand (tobacco) smoke and memory loss with tobacco (the NU paper claims to be the first study on the topic), the impact of second-hand marijuana smoke is likely poorly misunderstood.
Smoking has been linked to many adverse health affects. [Image Source: Reuters / Alexandra Beier]
In addition to memory affects, previous studies have shown a link between tobacco smoking and brain damage. Another study indicated smoking reduced brain activity in teens. Tobacco has also been linked to a variety of cancers, including testicular cancer. Habitually smoking marijuana also showed a clear correlation with certain kinds of testicular cancer.
It's clear that you should be careful what you inhale -- there is compelling evidence that it could damage your memory or cause other adverse affects, though researchers in some cases aren't sure quite how that process occurs.
Northumbria University, located near Newcastle in the Northeastern coast of England, has produced a cautionary study warning that second-hand smoke may lead to memory loss.
Published [abstract] in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction, the work by Psychologists Drs. Tom Heffernan and Terence O'Neil compared 27 second-hand smokers (SHS), 27 current-smokers (CS), and 29 non-second-hand smokers (non-SHS). Participants were subjected to the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT), a common memory test. The researchers took into consideration age, other drug use, mood, and IQ, in an effort to narrow the correlation down to smoke inhalation or lack thereof.
Current smokers fared the worst on the test, recalling approximately 25-30 percent less than their non-exposed peers in time- and event-based tasks. But somewhat more surprising, the researchers also observed a time-based memory gap in those exposed to second-hand smoke. They recalled over 15 percent less than their non-exposed peers. Interestingly, memory was not affected in event-based tasks.
The authors conclude:
In a sample of never-smoked adults, exposure to SHS is associated with increased time- based, but not event-based objective PM impairments when compared with a Non-SHS group, but not to the same level of impairments as observed in current smokers. Given the concerns raised by the World Health Organisation in relation to the global impact of current smoking and exposure to SHS upon a range of health measures and other indices this is a topic that is of major public interest. Despite this, there is little in the way of systematic study on what impact exposure SHS has on everyday remembering, with the findings presented here representing the first in this line of research.
At an applied level, the findings from the present study could be incorporated into campaigns that alert people to the dangers of exposure to SHS beyond health indices and highlighting the everyday cognitive consequences of such exposure. Clearly the findings from this exploratory study could be integrated into such initiatives.
At an applied level, the findings from the present study could be incorporated into campaigns that alert people to the dangers of exposure to SHS beyond health indices and highlighting the everyday cognitive consequences of such exposure. Clearly the findings from this exploratory study could be integrated into such initiatives.
The second-hand smokers in the study were exposed to, on average, 25 hours a week (3.6 hr. per day) for 4 and 1/2 years.
As with other studies on drug abuse, it's important to note that the observed phenomena was merely a correlation -- how exactly smoke affects the brain is very poorly understood, beyond basic reward circuitry.
There are many compelling questions raised by the study. The biggest is how exactly the memory impairment works on a neurological level. Another major question is whether so-called "third-hand" smoke -- smoke absorbed by a building occupied by a heavy smoker -- could have a similar, but smaller affect. Some studies have suggested that this may be the case with other smoking-related health issues.
Alcohol has been linked to similar memory impairment (though recent studies rebuke the hypothesis of brain cell death). However, there is no second-hand analogy with alcohol. On the other hand marijuana has been linked to short-term memory loss. Given the poor understanding of second-hand (tobacco) smoke and memory loss with tobacco (the NU paper claims to be the first study on the topic), the impact of second-hand marijuana smoke is likely poorly misunderstood.
Smoking has been linked to many adverse health affects. [Image Source: Reuters / Alexandra Beier]
In addition to memory affects, previous studies have shown a link between tobacco smoking and brain damage. Another study indicated smoking reduced brain activity in teens. Tobacco has also been linked to a variety of cancers, including testicular cancer. Habitually smoking marijuana also showed a clear correlation with certain kinds of testicular cancer.
It's clear that you should be careful what you inhale -- there is compelling evidence that it could damage your memory or cause other adverse affects, though researchers in some cases aren't sure quite how that process occurs.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Norton Scientific Journal : Coconut oil as toothpaste? - tumblr
http://nortonresearch.tumblr.com/post/31378721376/norton-scientific-journal-coconut-oil-as-toothpaste
No, we’re not issuing a fraud alert seeing as this is from a legit study that suggests coconut oil is capable of fighting tooth decay and could be used as mouthwash or toothpaste.
Scientists have discovered that when oil is treated with digestive enzymes, it is capable of harming bacteria in the mouth. Among all the types of oil used in the experiment, only the coconut oil has shown an impact in inhibiting the growth of bacteria strains. This might be because enzymes can breakdown fatty coconut oil into acids that consequently turn against bacteria. Previous research showed that partially digested milk can be used against microorganisms got the group interested in examining further effects of enzyme-modified foodstuffs.
Their study shows that digested milk protein reduces the possibility of bacteria clinging to the intestines and avoiding their entry into a cell. Their research on coconut oil and other enzyme-modified food is aimed at determining how they react with harmful bacteria in the human system.
WELCOME TO NORTON SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL - tumblr
http://nortonresearch.tumblr.com/post/31377240105/welcome-to-norton-scientific-journal
Get your daily dose of science stories and announcements — for free! Norton Scientific Journal has everything covered in the field of science.
Norton Scientific Journal is organized specifically to help you find what you want. Fast. So browse in our numerous topic sections where you’re surely find what you need.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Norton Scientific Journal : Coconut oil as toothpaste?
http://nortonscientificjournal.com/research/2012/09/10/norton-scientific-journal-coconut-oil-as-toothpaste/
No, we’re not issuing a fraud alert seeing as this is from a legit study that suggests coconut oil is capable of fighting tooth decay and could be used as mouthwash or toothpaste.
Scientists have discovered that when oil is treated with digestive enzymes, it is capable of harming bacteria in the mouth. Among all the types of oil used in the experiment, only the coconut oil has shown an impact in inhibiting the growth of bacteria strains. This might be because enzymes can breakdown fatty coconut oil into acids that consequently turn against bacteria. Previous research showed that partially digested milk can be used against microorganisms got the group interested in examining further effects of enzyme-modified foodstuffs.
Their study shows that digested milk protein reduces the possibility of bacteria clinging to the intestines and avoiding their entry into a cell. Their research on coconut oil and other enzyme-modified food is aimed at determining how they react with harmful bacteria in the human system.
According to the results of the study, enzyme-treated coconut oil is good in preventing the development of Streptococcus strains, including the one that causes tooth decay. Several tests were already suggestive that coconut oil treated with enzymes is harmful to the yeast that causes thrush. More studies following this one will focus on how coconut oil impacts bacteria at a molecular level and what other strains of microorganisms it can affect.
Researchers from Ireland’s Athlone Institute of Technology has conducted experiments to test the effect of olive oil, vegetable oil and coconut oil on human teeth. The results were presented during a meeting at the University of Warwick of the Society for General Microbiology.
Dr. Damien Brady of Athlone Institute of Technology, lead researcher of the study, said, “Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations. Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection. Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonise the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health.”
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Medical Research Fraud: Professors Go Unpunished in Glaxo $3 Billion Guilty Plea Over Paxil
http://www.thenation.com/blog/169262/medical-research-fraud-professors-go-unpunished-glaxo-3-billion-guilty-plea-over-paxil#
The head of the UCLA hospital, Dr. David Feinberg, and twenty-one other academics are going unpunished despite their role in perpetrating a healthcare fraud that has resulted in the largest fine ever paid by a pharmaceutical company in US history.
On July 3 GlaxoSmithKline pleaded guilty to criminal charges and agreed pay $3 billion in fines for promoting its bestselling antidepressants for unapproved uses. The heart of the case was an article in a medical journal purporting to document the safety and efficacy of Paxil in treating depression in children. The article listed more that twenty researchers as authors, including UCLA’s Feinberg, but the Department of Justice found that Glaxo had paid for the drafting of the fraudulent article to which the researchers had attached their names.
The study, which, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, had been criticized because it “dangerously misrepresented data” and had “hidden information indicating that the drug promoted suicidal behavior among teenagers,” was published in 2001 in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The lead “author” was Martin B. Keller, at the time a professor of psychiatry at Brown University. He retired this month. The article had been exposed as fraudulent in a 2007 BBC documentary and in the 2008 book Side Effects: A Prosecutor, a Whistleblower, and a Bestselling Antidepressant on Trial, by Alison Bass. Glaxo’s guilty plea, according to the Chronicle, included an admission that “the article constituted scientific fraud.”
Paxil went on sale in the US in 1993 and, according to Bass, prescriptions for children “soared” after the study appeared, even though research showed Paxil was not more effective than a placebo. But in 2004, theChronicle reports, British regulators warned against prescribing Paxil to children, after a study reported that children taking Paxil were nearly three times more likely to consider or attempt suicide. Then the US FDA issued a similar warning. Paxil sales totaled more than $11 billion between 1997 and 2005.
Brown University officials said they had no plans to take action against Keller. At UCLA, Dale Triber Tate, a spokesperson for the medical center and Dr. Feinberg, had no comment. The journal that published the fraudulent research has failed to retract it, and editor-in-chief Andres S. Martin, a professor of psychiatry at Yale, told the Chronicle he had no comment on the options the journal might take.
Feinberg and Keller were among twenty-two people listed as “authors” on the fraudulent article. Others included Karen D. Wagner, now professor and vice chair of psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Boris Birmaher and Neal D. Ryan, professors of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh; Graham J. Emslie, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; and Michael A. Strober, professor of psychiatry at UCLA.
Although Glaxo pled guilty and paid $3 billion in fines, none of the academics have been disciplined by their universities for their roles in perpetrating research fraud. Moreover, according to the Chronicle, several continue to receive federal grants from the National Institute of Health.
The head of the UCLA hospital, Dr. David Feinberg, and twenty-one other academics are going unpunished despite their role in perpetrating a healthcare fraud that has resulted in the largest fine ever paid by a pharmaceutical company in US history.
On July 3 GlaxoSmithKline pleaded guilty to criminal charges and agreed pay $3 billion in fines for promoting its bestselling antidepressants for unapproved uses. The heart of the case was an article in a medical journal purporting to document the safety and efficacy of Paxil in treating depression in children. The article listed more that twenty researchers as authors, including UCLA’s Feinberg, but the Department of Justice found that Glaxo had paid for the drafting of the fraudulent article to which the researchers had attached their names.
The study, which, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, had been criticized because it “dangerously misrepresented data” and had “hidden information indicating that the drug promoted suicidal behavior among teenagers,” was published in 2001 in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The lead “author” was Martin B. Keller, at the time a professor of psychiatry at Brown University. He retired this month. The article had been exposed as fraudulent in a 2007 BBC documentary and in the 2008 book Side Effects: A Prosecutor, a Whistleblower, and a Bestselling Antidepressant on Trial, by Alison Bass. Glaxo’s guilty plea, according to the Chronicle, included an admission that “the article constituted scientific fraud.”
Paxil went on sale in the US in 1993 and, according to Bass, prescriptions for children “soared” after the study appeared, even though research showed Paxil was not more effective than a placebo. But in 2004, theChronicle reports, British regulators warned against prescribing Paxil to children, after a study reported that children taking Paxil were nearly three times more likely to consider or attempt suicide. Then the US FDA issued a similar warning. Paxil sales totaled more than $11 billion between 1997 and 2005.
Brown University officials said they had no plans to take action against Keller. At UCLA, Dale Triber Tate, a spokesperson for the medical center and Dr. Feinberg, had no comment. The journal that published the fraudulent research has failed to retract it, and editor-in-chief Andres S. Martin, a professor of psychiatry at Yale, told the Chronicle he had no comment on the options the journal might take.
Feinberg and Keller were among twenty-two people listed as “authors” on the fraudulent article. Others included Karen D. Wagner, now professor and vice chair of psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Boris Birmaher and Neal D. Ryan, professors of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh; Graham J. Emslie, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; and Michael A. Strober, professor of psychiatry at UCLA.
Although Glaxo pled guilty and paid $3 billion in fines, none of the academics have been disciplined by their universities for their roles in perpetrating research fraud. Moreover, according to the Chronicle, several continue to receive federal grants from the National Institute of Health.
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